An Oklahoma Thanksgiving: Things to Do with Family Over the Holidays

Showcase Oklahoma’s diversity and charm for out-of-town visitors with visits to the state’s top attractions, Thanksgiving-themed food and treats, and some of the best Black Friday shopping destinations.

Watch an exciting game of stickball at Diligwa, a 1710 village at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah.

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Thanksgiving is a time for coming together with loved ones, enjoying a delicious meal and getting started on holiday shopping. For many, it also means hosting family for an extended weekend. Let us guide you to the best places to take out-of-towners, restaurants that are open for Thanksgiving dinner and where to go for the best deals during the Black Friday shopping rush in Oklahoma.

• Known as one of the most family-friendly zoos in the country, the Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden will offer hours of entertainment from the popular elephant habitat to the Great EscApe exhibit. Bonus: The Oklahoma City Zoo offers free admission each year on the day before Thanksgiving.

• Aptly referred to as a mini-Smithsonian, the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa is home to over 250,000 American Indian and Western objects, as well as 10,000 works of art that include 18 of Frederic Remington’s 22 bronze sculptures. Take a stroll through the museum’s 11 themed gardens to enjoy some crisp fall air.

• Home to one of the most comprehensive collections of Dale Chihuly art in the world, the Oklahoma City Museum of Art showcases a 55-foot-tall glass tower that makes for a great photo-op with family.

• Visit Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum of Art, a 72 room mansion-turned-museum that houses art from all around the world, including American and European masterpieces, in an Italian villa setting.

• Journey to the Tulsa Zoo where you can roam among 84 acres of exotic animals. Must-see exhibits include the Giraffe Experience, the Chimpanzee Connection, the Penguin Exhibit and the Helmerich Sea Lion Cove.

• Take a journey through the universe at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum’s Planetarium. In addition to the 50-foot dome, you’ll also learn about Tulsa’s rich aerospace history and see locally built planes.

Thanksgiving Eats in Oklahoma

• Order a side of the Thanksgiving Fries at S&B’s Burger Joint for a basket of sweet potato fries topped with marshmallow cream, dried cranberries and chopped pecans. Luckily, these tasty fries are available year-round.

• Thanksgiving doesn’t exactly bring to mind Italian food, but Ti Amo Ristorante Italiano is out to change that. Their Thanksgiving buffet, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., features prime rib, turkey, ham, lasagna, potatoes and tons of sides. This special is available in their south Tulsa location only, so call and get your reservations ahead of time.

• For just two weeks prior to Thanksgiving, head to The Mule in Oklahoma City for the amazing Tryptophantastic. It’s a mouthful to say and to eat, as it combines all of your Thanksgiving favorites - turkey, cranberry sauce and even dressing – piled high on a sandwich.

• Reservations are a must at Ingrid’s Kitchen in Oklahoma City each Thanksgiving. Offering a handful of timeslots, this popular all-you-can-eat buffet includes turkey, ham, broccoli cheese casserole, cranberry sauce and all the fixings.

• For a festive Thanksgiving feast that you don’t have to lift a finger to prepare, visit Oklahoma City’s Rococo’s Restaurant & Wine Bar. Rococo’s is offering a set holiday menu at their May Avenue location only, and reservations are required.

• Michael V’s Restaurant & Bar is a happening place to be on Thanksgiving in Tulsa. Open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests will have their choice of turkey, dressing and all the sides on a bountiful buffet. Reservations are recommended.

Black Friday Shopping in Oklahoma

Oklahoma City is home to three major shopping malls: OKC Outlets, Penn Square Mall and Quail Springs Mall. Enjoy upscale retail stores coupled with reduced prices at OKC Outlets, anchored by stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Nike, J Crew and Tommy Hilfiger. Head to Quail Springs for three levels of name-brand stores and a 24-screen movie theater, or Penn Square for shops like Macy’s, Williams-Sonoma, See’s Candy and Oklahoma City’s only Apple store.

In Tulsa, Black Friday shoppers can head to Woodland Hills Mall, Promenade Mall and Utica Square for great deals. Save big at Promenade Mall, conveniently located only two miles south of the Tulsa fairgrounds, or head over to Woodland Hills Mall for over one million square feet of popular stores from Banana Republic to Brighton. Utica Square offers upscale retail and exceptional restaurants all within an elegant outdoor village setting, making it the perfect location for a more relaxed shopping experience.

If you’re looking for some Oklahoma souvenirs to send home with your guests, these are a few places that can’t be beat.

• The Cloverleaf Boutique in Ardmore can’t be missed – look for the pink and white striped building ringed with pink-painted bicycles and head inside for kooky antiques, fun purses and colorful merchandise.

• The Gourmet Gallery, with locations in Oklahoma City and Edmond, specializes in Made-in-Oklahoma food items such as gourmet salsas, Oklahoma cheeses and artisan chocolates.